The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-13

consistent with the rules Of language
mine or DR.. Cunningham's. shall sho,
presently that mine 10 In accord with tn
history Of the heated controversy Of IN
fifteenth century, which mainly hinge,
on this question. Does justification
cleanse away the guilt aa we'll as the punish
ment oi sin;-or does It. merely remoyl
the punishment, and cloak over (the Doc
tor don't like that term, 90 IN borrow
Calvin's word), cover over the guilt? Th,
Doctor has only to refer to chapter II o
bis own Confession OF Faith to see tha,
Presbyterlanism to-day continues to ad
mere TO Calvin's teaching. The justified
have their sins 4. C., the penalty pardon
eu, anu they are accounted and accepted
as Hghteous, but no righteousness or ho.
Illness is Infused into their souls, In his
trst letter the Doctor impeached my We.
racity In way that sounded unkind.
lie said: "The Blshop asserts what is moi
true, when he says Professionalism only
cloaks, &C."
When made that assertion, I supposed
that 1t would CRATE harshly OIL some Of my
Protestant friends, for the human heart Is
instinctiyely Catholic, but did not ex.
pect to hear It's truthfulness assailed by
one. who, by his profession, must be read
up In the history Of those great theological
questions which agltated the Christian
world In the sixteenth century, and much
leas by disciple Of John Calvin. II my
assertion is not true, then do all historians
(Catholic and Protestant) OF those disputes
mislcad US. II my assertion Is not true,
respectfully beg my learned friend 10
charge the error to the account OF Calvin
and not impute It to me. Proof: In his
Institutes (l11, ny Calvin quoted from
Rom. ~, and s, these words-taken by
st. Paul himself from Ps. XXXI, blessed
is the man to whom the Lord will moi
,,mpute Sin" and "Blessed are they whose
iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are
covered" Now to prove that justification
consists merely in the forgiveness Of sins
in simply declaring a man free from PEN
atty. (although the justified are still dead
IN Bin, as l maintain the Westminster
Confession Of Faith atill teaches,) Calvin
employs this syllogis:ic reasoning. "A
complete definition Of justification Is either
here (Rom. W. s. gwen, or it is not; il
1t bs complete, then justification consists
merely in the forgiveness OF sins, which
Is sufficiently explained by the words
cover and not impute." 10 justify
meana accordingly, 10 declare any one
free from punishment, in despite Of vet
eristi,g sin. Italics are mine.) But ii py
the mere covering and remission Of guilt
and sin, the notion Of justification is not
completed, how can 1t be eaid that he is
bleesed, whose aims are covered?" mere
ly add that any tyro in Latin knows that
the word used by Calvin (tego-tecere)
may be as correctly translated cloak over
as cover.
The public will here SEQ a dilemma
tha. may amuoo them. How can my
veracity be assailcd for imputing to Prof.
estant christianity, doctrine taught
ipsissimis rerbis by one whom DR.. Cunning
ham must regard as teacher in Israel
the very founder Of Preabyteriauism or
have not with reason congratulated the
Doctor on his conversion from the dreamy
ienels Of Professionalism TO the ennoblins
and consoling doctrines OF the Catholic
church? Or, in fine, doea ii really turn
out that Catholic Bishop knows the
tenets OF Professionalism, even Presbyterian
ism, better than the Rev. Doctor himself?
JOHN X. kAls,
Bishop Of Wheeling.
Apra 12, 1857.